East Gaston reunites with Gaston County foes

By Phillip Gardner

Published: Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 10:43 PM.

BIG SOUTH 2A/3A CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Player spotlightKerrion Moore, Hunter Huss, RB/DB/KR, Sr. — Last season: Big South special teams player of the year. Offseason: A verbal commitment to Duke. This season: Expecting even more big things.James Passmore, North Gaston, OL, Sr. — The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Passmore has received offers from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, UNC Charlotte and UNC Pembroke.

Preseason favorite Who else? South Point has won six consecutive conference titles (not to mention 12 in 14 years) and the Red Raiders look solid again with the return of quarterback Jaquan Brooks, record-setting fullback Tyler Bray, defending conference defensive player of the year Daishon Davis and a budding talent in junior safety Tanner Muse. Forestview and Ashbrook look to be the biggest challengers, but this conference is South Point’s to lose.

2012 rewind South Point ran through the Big South undefeated last year, winning its six league contests by an average of 26.8 points. Forestview, Ashbrook and Crest were the toughest opponents as the Red Raiders won those games 35-21, 30-13 and 42-24, respectively. South Point went on to reach the third round of the 3AA state playoffs before suffering its only loss of the season. Ashbrook finished third in the Big South, Forestview fourth and Hunter Huss fifth before each lost in the first round of the playoffs. North Gaston placed seventh behind Kings Mountain, which moved out of the Big South with realignment. Current Big South members East Gaston and Lake Norman Charter belonged to other conferences last year. East Gaston finished fifth in the MEGA 7 3A/4A Conference and missed the playoffs. Lake Norman Charter placed runner-up in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference (behind eventual 2A state champion East Lincoln) and reached the second round of the 1AA state playoffs.

CONTINUE FOR TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES

THE TEAMS

AshbrookCoach: Greg Hill, fourth season (16-18)2012 record: 6-5, 4-2 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 3 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: Ashbrook could hang with the best of them last year and figures to be in the mix again. Tre Brice’s switch from quarterback to wide receiver will be something to watch after he passed for a Gaston County-record 521 yards against Forestview last season.

East GastonCoach: Sean Joyce, third season (6-15)2012 record: 2-8, 2-4 MEGA 7 3A/4A ConferenceReturning starters: 9 offense, 4 defenseThe skinny: At last, the Warriors move back into the Big South Conference, but it comes at a price as the top-to-bottom competition increases. An offense that was explosive at times returns almost everybody.

ForestviewCoach: Chris Medlin, seventh season (37-34)2012 record: 7-5, 3-3 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 6 offense, 9 defenseThe skinny: With practically every skill position player back including QB Logan Bradley, the Jaguars plan to score in bunches this fall. Their conference championship hopes might hinge on whether the defense can get stops.

Hunter HussCoach: Steve Gardner, 17th season (80-105)2012 record: 5-7, 2-4 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 7 offense, 8 defenseThe skinny: Running back Kerrion Moore is as talented a football player as you’ll find in this league, and the Huskies plan to ride him as far as they can. He’ll have plenty of help as he’s surrounded by 14 other returning starters.

Lake Norman CharterCoach: Bob McKay, fourth season (17-17)2012 record: 10-2, 6-1 Southern Piedmont 1A/2A ConferenceReturning starters: 5 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: This first-time Big South member is a bit of a mystery to some Gaston County folks, but the Knights are building quite a reputation after beating Lincolnton and placing second in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference last year. QB Michael Dorsainvil is back for a high-scoring offense.

North GastonCoach: Mike Patton, third season (2-18)2012 record: 1-9, 0-6 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 8 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: The Wildcats are tired of improvement with nothing to show for it. They believe they can win, and it starts with a strong senior class that includes QB Nick Haskin a Division I recruiting target in OL James Passmore.

South PointCoach: Mickey Lineberger, third season (22-2)2012 record: 12-1, 6-0 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 6 offense, 7 defenseThe skinny: The Big South’s 2012 offensive and defensive players of the year are both back, and they both play for the Red Raiders (FB Tyler Bray and LB Daishon Davis). South Point also has a junior safety (Tanner Muse) who’s already received a handful of major Division I offers. Looks like another strong year in Belmont.

In terms of conference alignment, it’s been a long four years for East Gaston.

Now the Warriors are jumping for joy as they rejoin the Big South Conference with the rest of their Gaston County counterparts.

“It’ll be good for the community. It’ll be good for athletics as a whole. We’re about to have better times at East Gaston,” Warriors football coach Sean Joyce said.

Even if it means tougher competition.

By the looks of a preseason coaches’ poll conducted by the Gazette, the Big South plans to give East Gaston a rude welcome on the football field as the Warriors are picked last in the seven-team conference. South Point is projected to win its seventh consecutive conference title, with Forestview and Ashbrook expected to be the top challengers.

Competition aside, members of the Big South are happy to have Gaston County’s largest schools together, which has been the case since 2001 with the exception of East Gaston’s move to the MEGA 7 3A/4A Conference the past four years.

“Hopefully we’ll get good crowds,” Hunter Huss football coach Steve Gardner said. “And when (the players) know kids on the other team, they come in motivated to play.”(Story continues)

Here are the Big South’s changes from the previous four-year conference alignment:

*East Gaston, Lake Norman Charter and Stuart Cramer enter the Big South, although Stuart Cramer is fielding only a JV football team for the first year.

*Crest and Kings Mountain exit the Big South.

*The league is changing to a 2A/3A split-classification conference. It was all 3A the last four years. The 3A schools are Ashbrook, East Gaston, Forestview, North Gaston and South Point. The 2A schools are Hunter Huss, Lake Norman Charter and Stuart Cramer.

“I think it’ll be good for the communities and the schools,” Stuart Cramer football coach Ben McMillan said. “The games are that much more important with each other.”

Phillip Gardner: 704-869-1843; twitter.com/gazettephil

BIG SOUTH 2A/3A CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Player spotlightKerrion Moore, Hunter Huss, RB/DB/KR, Sr. — Last season: Big South special teams player of the year. Offseason: A verbal commitment to Duke. This season: Expecting even more big things.James Passmore, North Gaston, OL, Sr. — The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Passmore has received offers from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, UNC Charlotte and UNC Pembroke.

Preseason favorite
Who else? South Point has won six consecutive conference titles (not to mention 12 in 14 years) and the Red Raiders look solid again with the return of quarterback Jaquan Brooks, record-setting fullback Tyler Bray, defending conference defensive player of the year Daishon Davis and a budding talent in junior safety Tanner Muse. Forestview and Ashbrook look to be the biggest challengers, but this conference is South Point’s to lose.

2012 rewind
South Point ran through the Big South undefeated last year, winning its six league contests by an average of 26.8 points. Forestview, Ashbrook and Crest were the toughest opponents as the Red Raiders won those games 35-21, 30-13 and 42-24, respectively. South Point went on to reach the third round of the 3AA state playoffs before suffering its only loss of the season. Ashbrook finished third in the Big South, Forestview fourth and Hunter Huss fifth before each lost in the first round of the playoffs. North Gaston placed seventh behind Kings Mountain, which moved out of the Big South with realignment. Current Big South members East Gaston and Lake Norman Charter belonged to other conferences last year. East Gaston finished fifth in the MEGA 7 3A/4A Conference and missed the playoffs. Lake Norman Charter placed runner-up in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference (behind eventual 2A state champion East Lincoln) and reached the second round of the 1AA state playoffs.

CONTINUE FOR TEAM-BY-TEAM CAPSULES

THE TEAMS

AshbrookCoach: Greg Hill, fourth season (16-18)2012 record: 6-5, 4-2 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 3 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: Ashbrook could hang with the best of them last year and figures to be in the mix again. Tre Brice’s switch from quarterback to wide receiver will be something to watch after he passed for a Gaston County-record 521 yards against Forestview last season.

East GastonCoach: Sean Joyce, third season (6-15)2012 record: 2-8, 2-4 MEGA 7 3A/4A ConferenceReturning starters: 9 offense, 4 defenseThe skinny: At last, the Warriors move back into the Big South Conference, but it comes at a price as the top-to-bottom competition increases. An offense that was explosive at times returns almost everybody.

ForestviewCoach: Chris Medlin, seventh season (37-34)2012 record: 7-5, 3-3 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 6 offense, 9 defenseThe skinny: With practically every skill position player back including QB Logan Bradley, the Jaguars plan to score in bunches this fall. Their conference championship hopes might hinge on whether the defense can get stops.

Hunter HussCoach: Steve Gardner, 17th season (80-105)2012 record: 5-7, 2-4 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 7 offense, 8 defenseThe skinny: Running back Kerrion Moore is as talented a football player as you’ll find in this league, and the Huskies plan to ride him as far as they can. He’ll have plenty of help as he’s surrounded by 14 other returning starters.

Lake Norman CharterCoach: Bob McKay, fourth season (17-17)2012 record: 10-2, 6-1 Southern Piedmont 1A/2A ConferenceReturning starters: 5 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: This first-time Big South member is a bit of a mystery to some Gaston County folks, but the Knights are building quite a reputation after beating Lincolnton and placing second in the Southern Piedmont 1A/2A Conference last year. QB Michael Dorsainvil is back for a high-scoring offense.

North GastonCoach: Mike Patton, third season (2-18)2012 record: 1-9, 0-6 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 8 offense, 6 defenseThe skinny: The Wildcats are tired of improvement with nothing to show for it. They believe they can win, and it starts with a strong senior class that includes QB Nick Haskin a Division I recruiting target in OL James Passmore.

South PointCoach: Mickey Lineberger, third season (22-2)2012 record: 12-1, 6-0 Big South 3A ConferenceReturning starters: 6 offense, 7 defenseThe skinny: The Big South’s 2012 offensive and defensive players of the year are both back, and they both play for the Red Raiders (FB Tyler Bray and LB Daishon Davis). South Point also has a junior safety (Tanner Muse) who’s already received a handful of major Division I offers. Looks like another strong year in Belmont.